Astrum et Circenses
by wwheisenberg
Summary: The girl on fire... IN SPAAAACE! AU.
1. Introduction

**Introduction:**

Why should you read every story on this website? Well...

The observable universe is decided by the size of our 'Hubble Sphere.' Our Hubble Sphere's size is calculated by the speed of light times the age of the universe. You can't see light rays that haven't reached you yet so anything outside of this sphere is unobservable. But, the Universe is far bigger than just the Hubble Sphere we live in.

The whole universe is about 14 billion years old. That times the speed of light gives us a Hubble Sphere radius of about 4 x 10 to the 26 meters. 10 to the 118 Protons, the subatomic particles that fill up space, can fit into this volume. Now, the possibility of whether or not a proton is present can be described by the number 2 raised to possible number of protons (10 to the 118). This is a very large number, but a finite one. And, it explains every possible configuration of matter, including the present one in our universe.

Now we take that number, of every possible different configuration of matter, and say each one has its own Hubble Sphere. It is more likely that some configurations will repeat than each Hubble Sphere having a completely different one, but we calculate it like this just to be safe. We then take 2 to the 10 to the 118 Hubble Spheres times the size of a Hubble Sphere, which roughly gives us 10 to the 10 to the 118. This is the amount of space before the combinations of matter begin to repeat. We can then say that there is an Identical Parallel Observable Universe 10 to 10 to the 118 meters away. But more likely it is closer.

More importantly, even closer than an Identical Parallel Observable Universe, there are Parallel Observable Universes. These are universes similar to our own, but differ based around choices people have made. This means that somewhere in space, the Hunger Games have probably happened. It means that every child submitted for the reaping was chosen. And in at least one universe, that child was victor. It also means that every story that YOU write, as long as it obeys the rules of physics, has very likely happened no less than 10 to the 10 to the 118 meters away from where you are sitting right now. Or at the very least, your story isn't unique, because an identical you wrote the same story somewhere very far away.

Source: Max Tegmark. Parallel Universes. Scientific American. 2013.


	2. Chapter 1

A woman appeared on the stage. Murmurs erupted but eager hushes restored the quiet. Katniss felt stiff and was certain that she was shorter than before. The atrophy was never pleasant. She shifted in her seat and craned her neck to get a better view. The woman, with her silver suit and green hair, looked like an oddly colored matchstick in the distance.

"What, afraid you're going to miss something?" Gale chastised her. Before Katniss could reply, her neighbors fired a chorus of shushes in his direction.

"Seriously?" He silently mouthed. Katniss shook her head at him; she was about to say something but winced as a screech came from the PA system.

The woman's voice began. "Hello everyone. I know we're all pretty accustomed to the disorientation associated with exiting cryosleep by now, but the reorientation protocol remains none-the-less. My name is Dr. Effie Trinket. We are all aboard the Starship _Leopold_, headed toward the planet Gilese 581d." The woman's voice was fading and she wobbled a bit at this last sentence. "I had better sit down. Please turn your attention to the hologram behind me."

The hologram's start up chimes rang out, and a handsome computer generated man appeared. "To ensure the survival of the human species we have left our solar system. We are now headed to the Gilese 581 system, found in the old world constellation of Libra." At this, a star map appeared, replacing the holo-man. One dot was highlighted. "You are all pilgrims on this voyage. When we arrive at our destination we will rendezvous with the other ships, and begin to rebuild our society. We will reach our destination in approximately fifty old world years. We have already been traveling for forty-eight. Every two years you are awoken from cryosleep for eleven months. This is the limit for safe cryosleep. Neural and physical atrophy can be avoided using this pattern. It also allows for ship maintenance, progeny creation, and most importantly genetic pruning. All of course while minimizing the use of food stores." A series of images played through all related to what the machine was saying, but Katniss paid no attention. Her aches had hunched her over. She looked over at Gale who had his eyes closed. It seemed he was fairing about the same. Besides, she didn't want to think about what came next.

"Genetic pruning is critical for the new world. There we will face many unknown trials. The Capital Ship deems it necessary for all other starship populations to be tested to see which is the most fit. It does so in a bi-annual games. Since your populations are substantially homogenous, the chosen competitor for the games is a qualified proxy for your fitness as a whole. The winners of the games come from the populations that are the most fit. The winners of the games determine resources sent by The Capital Ship to each ship, as well as the place of the population in the new world." The hologram paused. "In lieu of a volunteer, your competitor will be chosen shortly."

"I never understand a damn thing that machine says." Said Gale.

"Oh, you know, it just means that our children are harvested and killed and then we're left to float through space without any resources." Katniss offered in her best impression of nonchalance, but vehemence couldn't help but seep through.

"It's been awhile since we've been properly outfitted." Katniss's mother softly chimed in. Gale and Katniss turned to look at her. She was usually very quiet. She smoothed the hair of Primrose, who was asleep in her lap. This had been Prim's first cycle of cryosleep. Children born on the ship aren't put into cryosleep under the age of ten; instead, they are schooled and trained by crew members who don't undergo cryosleep. Usually the mother of the child will opt out of sleep the first several cycles of the child's life, but Prim's mother didn't. Katniss thought she was a coward for choosing to sleep instead of raising her daughter. It was easier for her mother after the loss of her father.

"What?" Katniss asked blankly.

"That's why we are more affected by the atrophy. The Capital hasn't provided us with enough stasis fluid, among other things."

Katniss looked away, she didn't like returning the gaze of her mother. She looked back to the stage and saw another figurine wobbling around down there.

"Looks like somebody has gotten his hands on another kind of stasis fluid." Gale smirked.

"We've been out of hibernation for under an hour and Haymitch is already drunk. That is amazing." She watched Haymitch stumble around. She couldn't imagine being drunk on top of the atrophy sickness. In an attempt to stabilize himself, Haymitch placed his hands on Effie's breasts and she slapped him, knocking him over. Katniss smiled to herself.

The hologram man reappeared. "Hello residents and crew of _The Leopold_. We have reached a consensus. The competitors to represent your population in the biannual games will be Primrose Everdeen and Peta Melarck."

Katniss felt like she was floating. She looked down at her body from above. She felt Gale's hand wrap around her wrist, pulling her back to her body, reminding her that she was not, in fact, in zero Gs.

_This isn't happening this isn't happening this isn't happening._

"Calculating…" Came the computer man. "The odds are not in your favor."

_This isn't happening this isn't happening not Prim it's not fair not Prim. Not Prim._

Katniss broke from Gale's grip. "I volunteer!"

She saw herself on the giant screen behind Effie Trinket. It wasn't quite as severe as her first out of body experience, but this one was in higher definition. She examined her own round chipmunk cheeks and full lips. Her long hair had yet to be cut or braided by her mother. She was always taken aback looking at herself for this first time in two years. She noticed her blue jumper looked tighter around her chest, and of course looser around her waist. She suddenly felt enraged that everyone was looking at her, why were they all letting this happen?

"Recalculating… Increased odds of survival."

Katniss locked eyes with Gale. She was just glad her sister was asleep.


	3. Chapter 2

All she could do was stare. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. At least, not without letting her eyes well up in front of the entire Star Fleet. She wouldn't give those fascists watching from the Capital Ship that satisfaction. She felt gloved peacekeeper hands on her shoulders.

"I'll take care of them." Gale said, even though he didn't have to. It was an agreement they had made many cycles ago. Katniss knew Gale would keep it. She could see the maelstrom brewing in his eyes. The memory of their pact was one that she would never lose; it could never be taken from her, not even by the vacuum of space.

They had made the pact one afternoon during the twenty-second cycle or the 14th old world year of Katniss's life. During a routine condenser collection the two of them sat atop the massive apparatus attached to their ship. They wore harnesses and cables that tied them to their ship to keep them from floating away. It was always the perfect temperature inside her space suit, which she found most pleasant. With impossibly distanced stars on the horizon and at a constant speed, they appeared to be motionless, floating through the galaxy between solar systems.

"Remind me again why we always have to come up here and change these stupid valves?" Katniss sounded much snarkier than she meant. When she thought about it, their foyers into space were one of the few things that brought her happiness.

"Katniss don't say that." Katniss's suit's shoulder lights created a glare on Gale's helmet from such close proximity, but she could still make out the fog his breath created inside it.

"T_he Leopold _is a very special ship Katniss. We are the only ones bringing in a supply of water. Even though we can recycle 99% of our water, we still won't have enough to terraform our new home world. The apparatus on this ship works to create it, and will continue to do so once we are there. Without it, we may never be able to support life."

Katniss sighed. Another one of Gale's lectures, he had a real knack for the mechanical nitty-gritty. "Save it, professor." Katniss told him. She began to impersonate him, squeezing the words as best she could out of her nasal cavity "I am all too familiar with the significance of the proton array. By attracting atomic and diatomic hydrogen from all reaches of space it's only a matter of using a simple combustion reaction to create… water."

"Well, that's not the non peer-reviewed version, I suppose." Said Gale, unremorsefully. "Katniss, your intuition can only bring you so far without a fundamental understanding of how the world around you works."

Katniss grasped her helmet with gloved hands, "Well, if you're about to explain it I'd better take this off now and get it over with. Send my regards to the chuckle heads aboard _The Perseus_ that keep mucking up their food supply, because they in large part contributed to this suicide."

"Katniss, I'm not joking around. We could just leave. Don't you see? With enough water, we can plant seeds, we can grow our own food, we don't need the rest of the fleet, and most importantly we don't need the Capital Ship." Gale, realizing what he had just said, turned his body to look around and make sure nobody else was visible.

"Don't worry," Said Katniss, "Nobody else is up here working, and nobody cares enough to monitor the frequency we peons use."

Gale, in a sign of relief, plucked on his harness tether.

"But Gale, realize you're talking crazy. Even if we could make it out of range of the Capital Ship's ion cannons, we'd be lost in space. The only other planets around here are gas giants or frozen rocks or molten infernos." Katniss had raised her voice without meaning to, but this futile talk annoyed her.

They sat in silence for a while. It seemed like a long while. Gale broke it, finally, in a defeated tone. "You're right. Of course you're right. I guess I'd rather take my chances out here than as the Capital's slave. Or dying in their arena."

Katniss closed her eyes and leaned back. She had poisoned his mood, and felt bad to hear him speak this way now. "Remind me how many tesserae you've taken."

He was quiet, until "I've maxed out."

"Space me." Katniss whispered to herself. Gale was mucked, as mucked as she was. She wanted to hold his hand. She wanted to hold him, to tell him it would be alright.

But that was then, and this was now, and although some things had changed from then, this had not. Katniss didn't remember the exact words of their pact, Gale was the one for technical questions, but hers was an emotional memory. She felt something deep down in her pit, and the black body inside of her no longer felt alone. In this vast grand Multiverse she had found a partner who, while her helpless sister grew, and her mother dawdled in the embrace of sleep, would help and protect her. And she would him.

Katniss thought of that moment as she was dragged away by the crew. She didn't fight their pull, but allowed herself to be moved down the metal stairs. And because of it, she didn't cry. She was brought to the front of the auditorium alongside Dr. Trinket, Haymitch Earth-Born, and the boy she would have to kill, Peta. Nobody cheered as they were taken from the stage to the docking bay, where they would be shuttled to the Capital Ship. Katniss was glad she wasn't given a chance to say goodbye. Her family and Gale were all she had. They would see plenty more of her, but seeing them again would be her only motivation.


	4. Chapter 3

The shuttle _Lydirium_ would be Katniss's home for the next day, before arriving at the Capital Ship. It was not that her home ship _The Leopold_ was very far from the Capital Ship; it was just that the shuttle moved very deliberately and had to make many minute course corrections to properly intercept the Capital Ship. Katniss could barely hear anything over the Stage I thrusters. She gazed out the small porthole window and watched _The Leopold._ It was a strange looking ship, like a gargantuan metal wasp's body. The largest part of their ship was by far the proton array and water condenser, it more than doubled the ship's total size. Because of this, _The Leoplod's_ crew lived in far more cramped conditions than the other ships. Katniss's head hurt from the backwardness of it all. There her family was, living in slum like conditions on that tiny little ship when out here there was infinite space. Everyting she'd ever known and loved was there on that metallic wasp.

The intercom in her room buzzed, "Katniss, please come to the main atrium. The floor lights will guide you." That would be Dr. Trinket. The last thing Katniss wanted to do was see her, or that boy she would have to kill. It buzzed again, "Please don't make me have the peacekeepers escort you." Katniss sighed. She looked around her room, in was mostly empty. Besides her bunk, there was only a desk. The only thing on the desk was a tiny magnetic metal ornament. It resembled a sea urchin with many spikes. Katniss grabbed it and hid it up her sleeve. She knew she wouldn't use it to kill Effie, but the idea made her smile. With a woosh, the automatic doors let her out of her room and the floor lighting guided her down the hall to the main atrium.

"Welcome Katniss," smiled the green haired doctor. Effie was at the head of a long table and Peta sat adjacent to her. Katniss sat at the opposite end, but unfortunately the table wasn't as long as it first appeared. Two peacekeepers came in dragging a hunched over figure by the shoulders. They threw him into the chair next to Katniss. He reeked of stale beer and piss, so, really just piss.

"What do you do with a drunken sailor?!" came his best attempt at song.

"Ha ha! My, very funny, Haymitch." Came Effie. Katniss supposed that to her it was impolite to acknowledge drunkenness. Katniss noticed that Peta was glaring at her with raised eyebrows in a "this is our mentor?" sort of look. Katniss did nothing.

"Now, Peta and Katniss, meet Haymitch Earth-born. He will be your mentor, responsible for teaching you everything you need to survive in the games."

Katniss just stared at Effie. In an attempt to make her uncomfortable she checked her out. Her eyes lingered extra long on Effie's tight fitting silver pants.

"Katniss!" Effie blurted out.

"What?"

"Any questions?"

Katniss thought for a second. "Is the carpet green like the drapes?"

Haymitch burst out laughing. "Alright! This kid's a gamer."

Effie scowled at them. "Alright, I'll let you three talk preliminary strategy. Then you can eat." She nearly ran into the automatic doors.

The three of them sat there and looked around at each other for a bit.

"So, what's our strategy?" Asked Peta.

"Well I don't know about you, but my strategy is to drink myself into oblivion until this painful existence reaches its terminus and returns to the dust from whence it came." Haymitch 'cheersed' an imaginary partner and then drank.

"No I meant for the games." Said Peta, unamused. He was blonde and muscular, and maybe not too bright, thought Katniss. He seemed to underestimate Haymitch's veiled shrewdness.

"No shit?" retorted Haymitch. "Why don't you make like Ms. Thunder-tits here get with the program."

Katniss discreetly let the sharp ornament fall from her sleeve into her hand, "And what exactly, is that supposed to mean, you drunk old pervert?"

"Yeah! Don't talk to her like that!" Peta Exclaimed.

Katniss turned to him, "I'll fight my own battles, thanks."

"Christ, I'm on your side… Thunderti-" Katniss interrupted him by jumping across the table and raising the ornament to smash into his head. Haymitch's laughter stopped her. She looked at him. He had fallen over in his chair, and was now clutching his stomach and rolling.

Katniss and Peta looked at each other, and they couldn't help but smile.

Haymitch began clapping from the floor. "Well, maybe this will be interesting after all."

After reorganizing themselves they watched holograms of the other reapings. The two Roman looking barbarians aboard _The Nituntur_ worried them all the most. There was a particularly tall looking brute aboard _The Merrigold_ that would be difficult as well. The only other tribute that jumped out at Katniss was a girl from _The Euclid_. She had a sharp nose and very sly looking face. She was pretty, but athletic looking. Katniss marveled at her physique, it was rare to see a body like that. She had seen pictures from Earth, but "fitness" took on a new definition in space. Everyone had much more muscle tone on Earth, the low gravity environment here made it hard to get a workout. Her thoughts were interrupted by Peta.

"Where are the tributes from _The Perseus_?" he asked.

"Those idiots?" Answered Haymitch. "Somebody probably left the airlock open and they accidentally spaced themselves."

Effie had come back in. "We'll find out soon enough," She said. "Nobody has received any transmissions from them. We're the closest shuttle to them so we're making a pit stop to get them in line. I will be going on board, but you three stay here."

"Sounds good to me." Said Katniss. "I've had about enough of this anyway, I'm going to sleep off the rest of my cryo-pains." And with that she went back to her room to sleep. She dreamt of Prim and her mom. They were all lying in a field, like she had seen in pictures. There was life all around them: bugs, plants, birds, and trees. Gale was there. And he was smiling. The dream faded into black as she fell deeper into sleep.

Suddenly an alarm woke her. She was lying in her bunk, bathed in red light. She ran over to the desk and checked the holoscreen. SHUTTLE LYDIRIUM: ALL HANDS BATTLE STATIONS, it read. Katniss put on her blue jumper and cloth shoes and ran out the door.

The corridor was empty of peacekeepers. Still bathed in red light. She turned the corner and collided with Peta. "Sorry" he said, rubbing his head.

"What's going on?" She asked hurriedly. No answer. She could tell by the look on his face that he was as lost as she was. The last thing she remembered was talking about _The Perseus_ and then heading to bed. "The Perseus!" She exclaimed. "Maybe they're rebelling! Come on!" Katniss grabbed him by the hand and rushed toward the airlock. "Maybe we can get aboard" She yelled excitedly.

They ran down the hall and into the stairwell. After running down three flights they went back into the corridor and turned right. "Come on! It's just down this ha-"

"Where do you think you're going?" Haymitch grabbed them both.

"Thank The Void! There you are." Effie shouted.

Katniss began to struggle. Haymitch let out a chorus of "woahs." Katniss screamed "You have to let us-" She stopped when she looked further down the corridor to the airlock. Dozens of peacekeepers were there. Blasts of light came from their rifles. Someone in a red jumpsuit similar to the blue one Katniss was wearing was barreling down the hall towards them. Each strike of light left a hole in the red jumper but didn't stop the creature's momentum. It had yellow skin and blood red eyes. It grabbed a peacekeeper on the other side of the airlock and began tearing at his face. An animal shriek the likes of which Katniss had never heard came from the man. She looked on in horror as the peacekeepers closed the airlock leaving the man and creature on board the other ship. As the airlock sealed Katniss watched the man being devoured from behind the glass. The blast doors then closed, blocking the scene from view.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hello dear reader(s?)! I knew that this story wouldn't be for _everyone_ but it seems to appeal to almost _no one_. The views on each chapter can be talked about in terms of exponential decay. It was my first try at a super duper sci-fi re-imagining and I suppose there are some things I could have done to make it more captivating. Anyway, this will probably be the last chapter. While it has been fun to write and think about, it's even more fun to be able to talk about a story, so my efforts will be focused elsewhere. Cheers!**

Katniss gasped for air. She realized she had been holding her breath.

"What the hell was that?" Asked Peta.

Haymitch looked at him, "Muck if I know."

Effie quivered. "Is everyone alright?"

Two crashes sounded against the hull. Peta jumped up and Haymitch grabbed him. "Calm down, that's just the contents of their air lock hitting us." That made sense, when the pressure in the air lock was released it would propel anything in there towards the other ship.

"You mean those two things?" asked Katniss. "Are they dead?"

"I don't know." Answered Haymitch.

"Virgil!" Yelled Effie. A hologram man similar to the one on board _The Leopold_ appeared before them in the corridor, which was still filled with confused Peacekeepers as well.

"What can I assist you with Dr. Trinket?" Asked the computerized man.

"What the hell was that? And… is it dead?"

"Thank you for your query. One moment please." The hologram man changed shape to become a blue tinted scale model of _The Perseus_. The computer's voice came, "After pinging _The Perseus's _Virtual Intelligence, no reply was issued. We docked with them as per your orders. After sealing our airlock, First Mate Conners went aboard with several Peacekeepers to ascertain the cause of _The Perseus's_ silence. Thereupon they were attacked by the Crew. They returned fire."

Effie cut the computer off, "That was NOT the crew of _The Perseus_. Something was wrong with them. Very wrong. What happened to them."

The computer replied, "When docking with _The Perseus, _I briefly interfaced with their computer. Opening records." The projected hologram then changed shape from the ship model to a giant blue 'X'.

"I am sorry doctor. A new directive has been issued that these records shall be sealed."

"What?" demanded Effie. "A directive from where?"

"It originated from The Capital Ship."

"But they sent us to investigate! Why would the- I demand you tell us what was in the files you accessed, Virgil!"

"I am sorry Doctor. I cannot."

"Space yourself, Virgil." Said Haymitch.

"Is there anything else I can help you with Dr. Trinket?"

Effie thought for a second. "No, just, send us back on course to the Capital Ship. We'll find out what this is all about soon enough."

"Does this mean that there won't be any tributes from _The Perseus_ in this year's games?" Asked Peta.

Katniss closed her eyes and thought about the yellow man. His eyes didn't resemble that of any human, or any animal, for that matter, that Katniss had ever seen. "Let's hope not." She said.

Katniss put her hands down on the cold metal floor of the corridor and she pushed herself to her feet. Her hopes of rebellion had been thwarted. That could have been her break. Once aboard the Capital Ship itself, she was far less likely to escape.

Effie stood up and tidied herself off. "Everyone, at ease! At ease! Back to normal, hip hip." She clapped her hands along with these last words and with that it seemed the crew had nearly forgotten the trauma moments before, as they returned to practiced duty with haste.

"Well, I don't know about you but I could use a drink after that." Haymitch said, scurrying off to find liquor.

Katniss thought about going back to sleep. With impending death upon arrival at the Capital Ship it seemed a waste of precious time to sleep. Peta seemed to share her thoughts.

"Want to play checkers in my room? We can have Virgil display a board." Asked Peta.

"Hmm" Katniss offered. She didn't want to sleep but spending more time with the boy she would have to kill, or be killed by, didn't seem too appealing either.

"It's far less dangerous than the games we'll be playing soon." Offered Peta with a smile.

"There is only one winner of those games, and it's the same one every year: The Capital." Said Katniss.

"Not if I can help it." Said Peta. "Come with me, let me tell you my plan." He was still on the floor. He offered out his hand to Katniss and she took it, helping him onto his feet.


End file.
